Environment and Planning Solicitor

Uisce Éireann; Cork, Dublin; On-site; EUR 100,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Uisce Éireann in Ireland is seeking an Environment and Planning Solicitor to join our in-house legal team in Cork. You will provide expert advice on environmental, land, planning and project delivery matters, supporting regulatory compliance and complex transactions.

In this role you will draft and negotiate contracts, manage disputes, liaise with regulators, and drive risk mitigation alongside the Chief Legal Officer. A senior, influential position within a large, values-led organisation.

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor or barrister with at least 6 years’ post-qualification experience.
• Experience in environmental and planning law is essential.
• Desirable: 7+ years in water/utilities or similar industries.

Responsibilities

• Provide in-house legal advice on environmental, land, planning and project delivery matters.
• Advise on regulatory matters and review policies and contracts as needed.
• Support disputes, court applications, and external advisers where required.
• Draft, negotiate and update legal documents and agreements for the business.
• Collaborate with regulators and internal stakeholders to manage risk.
• Lead and guide the Environmental, Land & Projects Legal function.

Skills

Environmental law

Planning law

Regulatory matters

Litigation support

Education

Qualified Solicitor or Barrister

Job description

We are Uisce Éireann. Every day, we are responsible for the delivery of secure, safe, and sustainable water services for the people of Ireland. As Ireland’s national regulated water utility, our vision is a sustainable Ireland where water is respected and protected, for the planet and all the lives it supports.

Our purpose at Uisce Éireann is to rise to the challenge of delivering transformative water services that enable communities to thrive. That means we are proud to take on the responsibility of protecting our water supply and passing on a safe and secure water system to a rapidly growing population and empowering Ireland’s social and economic growth.

We are passionate about empowering our people, enabling them to make a positive impact on communities across Ireland. We are guided by a shared vision and purpose, grounded in values that define who we are and shape how we work, where we deliver for customers and communities, we work better together, we do the right thing, we aim high, and we keep each other safe. Our behaviours define how we interact, communicate, and succeed together. These values and behaviours apply to each one of us, across every role, location, and level.

Our goal is to attract and develop skilled and talented people from diverse backgrounds, who bring a dynamic range of expertise and insights to our work. With a strong, values-driven workforce, we ensure Uisce Éireann can continue advancing Ireland’s water services and meeting the needs of the communities we serve for generations to come.

The Role:

The Legal function provides the organisation with the necessary legal expertise and support required by the business to meet its day-to-day business needs and legal and regulatory obligations. This includes advising the business in specialised matters, managing litigation matters, reviewing and providing input to legal documentation including policies and contracts, and advising on regulatory matters

The Legal Asset & Operations Team provide in-house legal advice primarily to the asset and operational functions of the business, including in particular Asset Management, Infrastructure Delivery, Asset & Customer Operations, as well as advising on dispute resolution. The team provides a range of specialist legal advice in areas including planning and environmental, property, projects, and developer services.The team advises on dispute avoidance across the company including litigation, arbitration, mediation, conciliation or any other alternative dispute resolution, and advises on dispute avoidance and challenging proofing of business processes. They collaborate with the Legal Commercial and Supply Chain team to ensure knowledge sharing and excellence in the delivery of full legal services across Uisce Éireann.

Reporting to the Asset and Operations Legal Senior Manager, the Environment and Planning Solicitor is responsible for supporting the provision of legal advice for the organisation in relation to environmental, land, property, construction and project related issues.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Support the Chief Legal Officer and the Uisce Éireann business in providing in-house legal advice for all environmental, planning, land, developer services & project delivery related matters, including providing transactional support
• Support and advise the business on planning and environmental matters, including in respect of water services legislation
• Work with other business areas within Uisce Éireann to establish internal processes to ensure efficient project delivery in relation to environmental and planning, and developer services to ensure that the business meets it business plan objectives
• Advise on statutory processes relating to the compulsory acquisition of land
• Support the Dispute Resolution Legal team where required in relation to court applications, judicial reviews, disputes and arbitrations
• Support the Uisce Éireann business by identifying areas of potential legal risk, developing reporting structures in relation to those risks and conducting reviews where required
• Draft, negotiate, review, and update various legal documents and agreements as applicable to support the business
• Attend project meetings, and liaising with external advisers, the UE business and Chief Legal Officer to ensure appropriate contractual arrangements are made, and legal risks are identified
• Advise on legal issues relating to interaction with regulators, general queries and any other relevant environmental and planning matters
• Monitor and keep business areas advised of relevant legislative changes and case-law affecting the conduct of the company’s business and promote legal awareness and communicating to the business when legal input should be sought
• Provide day to day support to the Chief Legal Officer and the business, in conjunction with third party specialists, to deliver required business outcomes. Liaising with LA partners, as required
• Support the appointment and management of external legal advisers, where required
• Ensure that Continuing Personal Development is maintained, and that professional knowledge remains current, by participating in appropriate training / courses / seminars, as agreed with the Chief Legal Officer
• Support the Chief Legal Office in strategically reviewing the business to develop improved risk mitigation practices across the organisation
• Review and contribute to Board papers, policy papers and providing legal opinions, as required, at Board / Management meetings
• Draft, negotiate, review, and update various legal documents and agreements as applicable to support the business
• Lead and guide the Environmental, Land & Projects Legal function
• Act as an escalation point for the team and keep the Chief Legal Officer updated and appraised of all Planning and Environmental legal matters as relevant
• Drive for high performance, setting the standard for continuous improvement within the Environmental, Land & Projects Legal team
• Work closely with the other Uisce Éireann Legal teams to ensure an aligned approach on related matters

General Duties and Responsibilities

• Collaboration with key internal stakeholders across the UÉ business
• Responsible for promoting and delivering health and safety commitments across UÉ and its supply chain, reinforcing positive behaviours and delivering health and safety objectives and requirements to the highest industry standards
• Support the delivery of the Uisce Éireann Transformation Programme, driving results required within the Directorate and supporting organisation-wide objectives
• Conducts duties and responsibilities in accordance with Uisce Éireann’s Information Security policies, standards, processes and controls to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of UÉ business information and delivery of critical services, in accordance with the NIS Directive and any other relevant cybersecurity regulation
• Other duties as required

Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

• Qualified Solicitor or Barrister with at least 6 years’ post qualification experience.
• A minimum of 7 years’ experience in the water, utilities or similar industries is desirable
• Experience in Environmental and Planning law is essential and experience in the water, utilities or similar industries is desirable
• Highly motivated individual, working to the highest professional standards and with proven ability to deliver results at a senior level
• Able to work to deadlines and adapt to changing conditions and ambiguity generating effective and pragmatic solutions to new situations and problems as they are presented.
• Ability to enable positive teamwork across departments and encourage cooperation and open discussion to achieve common goals
• Demonstrated experience influencing an environment of open, honest communication while upholding high ethical standards.
• Proven track record of facilitating continuous improvement initiatives within a team
• Demonstrated experience in seeking ways to improve safety and wellbeing and challenging any unsafe practices

The closing date for receipt of applications for this vacancy is 30/10/2026.

Please note that applications submitted after this closing date will not be accepted.

*Successful external candidates will be offered a salary within the advertised range based on an assessment of their relevant skills, qualifications, experience and readiness to undertake the responsibilities of the role.

Internal candidates will be considered in line with the application of Uisce Éireann's Pay Model and associated pay policies.

The salary range is designed to recognise that successful candidates may join the organisation at different stages in their career, while also providing scope for future salary progression as capability and experience develop.

Uisce Éireann is an equal opportunities employer.

We are committed to providing a diverse and inclusive place of work and have a robust strategy and framework called ibelong to enable this. We are an equal opportunity employer and through our recruitment process we welcome and encourage applications from interested and suitably qualified individuals regardless of gender, age, racial or ethnic origin, membership of the traveller community, religion or beliefs, family or civil status, sexual orientation/gender identity or disability